Fiona Barber family’s anger at hospital CCTV move

THE family of a pensioner who died after hitting her head falling from an ambulance at a hospital entrance more than five years ago have described the decision not to retain CCTV footage covering the accident scene as “deeply unsatisfactory.”
Fiona Barber, right, and her daughter Claire Harper Gow. Picture: ContributedFiona Barber, right, and her daughter Claire Harper Gow. Picture: Contributed
Fiona Barber, right, and her daughter Claire Harper Gow. Picture: Contributed

Fiona Barber, 71, was going down the steps of the vehicle backwards to attend a routine appointment when she lost her grip and fell on top of a patient transport care worker who was steadying her by holding her coat.

He tried to break her fall but Mrs Barber hit the back of her head on the ground and she died two weeks later at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.

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The accident happened on December 21, 2009, when Mrs Barber - who suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis - was picked up from her country home and transported to the front door of Borders General Hospital near Melrose, Roxburghshire.

Following a five-day fatal accident inquiry, a sheriff has made recommendations tightening up the procedures in the patient transport ordering system taking them from their homes to hospital appointments.

Selkirk Sheriff Court heard Mrs Barber insisted on exiting the ambulance by the steps although there was a hydraulic lift at the rear of the vehicle which could have been used for a wheelchair.

Mrs Barber’s son Jonathan said: “Despite having an inquiry, we don’t even know beyond reasonable doubt which step of the ambulance my mother was on when she fell and we will probably never know.

“As the determination states the cause was unknown. We find this deeply unsatisfactory.

“This could have been avoided if the Scottish Ambulance Service or Borders General Hospital had chosen to retain CCTV footage at the time of her fall.

“The lack of this available evidence is upsetting and we hope that both bodies revise their policies regarding retention of such vital evidence.”

Mr Barber from Norfolk welcomed Sheriff James Farrell’s comment that an apology to the family from the Scottish Ambulance Service was appropriate stating: “My mother was in the care of the SAS when she had her fall. Public bodies need to accept responsibility for their actions and apologise to the bereaved when they fail. No family should have to wait five years for an apology.”

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In his findings Sheriff Farrell said hospital clinical teams should take a key role in ensuring that transport ordered for the patient is appropriate and better training for information gathering to assess the patient’s needs.

But he said this should be “suitably courteous but challenging” while balancing the patient’s wishes.

He also called for a clarification “as soon as possible” on the guidance issued to staff who are “steadying” a patient as they are exiting an ambulance after it emerged the Health and Safety Executive had not given any guidance to SAS staff.

Mr Barber said that he still believed his mother’s death was preventable following the inquiry but welcomed the sheriff’s recommendations.

The inquiry at Selkirk Sheriff Court heard how Mrs Barber, an accomplished artist, had declined the use of the hydraulic lift when she was picked up at her home at Bridgelands House at Lindean near Selkirk.

Instead she was assisted onto the ambulance by the two patient transport care workers.

But at Borders General Hospital, it was only Keith Murray, 52, who assisted her off while his colleague collected a wheelchair from the back of the ambulance.

Mr Murray previously told the inquiry how Mrs Barber - who had various joint replacements - was

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moving backwards down the steps when she lost her grip on the handrail.

Mr Murray said: “She fell plank solid. There was no buckling of the knees. It was a straight motion.

“I tried to break her fall but because of the joint replacements she fell like a domino.”

Mr Murray said Mrs Barber glanced her head against the side of the door as she fell before it hit the ground.

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